Transportable inflatable workstation

ABSTRACT

A transportable workstation suitable for providing a closed environment for spraying a vehicle has a base sheet and a cover sheet connected to the edges of the base sheet and at least partially releasable therefrom. First and second further sheets are provided within the cover sheet and are also releasably connected to the base sheet in order to define first and second end chambers, between which is formed a work chamber. An air blower drives air into the first end chamber and passageways allow the flow of air from the first end chamber into the work chamber and from there into the second end chamber before release to the ambient. A filter is associated with the air flow through the second end chamber to prevent pollutants entering the atmosphere. Closable access openings are provided in the first end chamber, respectively from the exterior and to the work chamber.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is the U.S. national stage application ofInternational Application PCT/GB2007/050504, filed Aug. 22, 2007, whichinternational application was published on Feb. 28, 2008 asInternational Publication WO 2008/023206. The International Applicationclaims priority of British Patent Application 0616634.2, filed Aug. 22,2006.

This invention relates to a transportable inflatable workstation—that isto say, apparatus which may provide an onsite work chamber, for theperformance of various activities, and which is inflatable for use anddeflatable for transport.

The cosmetic and minor damage repair of motor vehicles is frequentlyundertaken in open air, by operators skilled in spraying only a smalldamaged area of a vehicle, in such a way that the repair is essentiallyinvisible. The operator will normally use an airbrush to spray the paintand even though the area covered by the paint from an airbrush can betightly controlled, inevitably some of the spray and the solvent for thepaint escapes to the environment. If the weather is inclement, theoperator may tape sheets to the vehicle being repaired and also usepoles to hold the sheet away from the surface to which the paint isapplied, but the repair is still performed in the open air. Such repairscan be undertaken relatively cheaply as compared to performing therequired work in a more conventional manner, involving extensivepreparation to the area to be repaired, which possibly may even includereplacement of damaged panels, and then re-finishing the vehicle in aspray booth. At least in part, open-air repairs are cheaper because theoperator may work on the vehicle wherever it happens to be, rather thanhaving to take the vehicle to a fixed workshop.

New regulations coming into operation will control the commercialrelease of solvents to the ambient atmosphere, as well as the release ofother materials such as sprayed paint particles. When these regulationsare in place, no longer will it be possible for repairs as discussedabove to be performed in the open air. Rather, the commercial repair ofvehicles will have to take place in a closed environment, with thedischarge from that environment being filtered to prevent the release ofsubstances to the atmosphere. These regulations will therefore have aserious impact on the undertaking of minor repair work on motor vehiclesby peripatetic operators who work in the open air or under minimalprotection provided by sheeting taped to the vehicle.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide means wherebya closed working environment may be provided for the performance of workwhich otherwise would be likely to release pollutants such as paintparticles and solvents to the ambient. This is achieved by furnishing atransportable inflatable workstation including a work chamber withinwhich the work may be performed, without risk of the release ofpollutants to the ambient.

Accordingly, therefore, this invention provides a transportableinflatable workstation comprising a base sheet, a cover sheet adapted tobe connected to the base sheet and at least partially releasabletherefrom, first and second further sheets also adapted to be connectedto the base sheet and at least partially releasable therefrom, thefurther sheets defining in conjunction with the base sheet first andsecond end chambers disposed at opposed ends of the base sheet whereby awork chamber is defined by the base sheet and the cover sheet betweenthe end chambers, air blower means arranged to drive air into the firstend chamber, air passageways to permit air to flow from the first endchamber into the work chamber, from the work chamber into the second endchamber, and from the second end chamber to the exterior thereby toinflate the work chamber and the two end chambers, the first end chamberbeing provided with a first closable access opening to the exterior anda second closable access opening to the work chamber, and at least oneof the passageways associated with the second end chamber being providedwith a filter to prevent pollutants leaving the second end chamber tothe exterior.

It will be appreciated that the workstation of this invention, ifappropriately dimensioned, is particularly suitable for undertakingminor repair work to motor vehicles, and especially repair workinvolving spray paints and the like. The workstation includes a workchamber which communicates with a first end chamber and a separatesecond end chamber, and when in use air is driven into the first endchamber, then to flow from that first end chamber into the work chamber,and from the work chamber into the second end chamber, from where air isreleased to the ambient. An air blower assembly is arranged to drive airinto the first end chamber and thus inflate that chamber; the airflowing into the work chamber then inflates that chamber, and the airflowing from the work chamber to the second end chamber inflates thatchamber, as well. Air flowing through the second end chamber isfiltered, preferably on leaving that chamber but possibly on enteringthat chamber, so as to minimise the likelihood of the escape ofpollutants.

Access to the work chamber is through the first end chamber, withinwhich the air pressure is the highest. Releasing the first accessopening of the first end chamber allows air to flow from the first endchamber to the ambient atmosphere, but there will be no contamination ofthat air by operations which may be performed in the work chamber. Afterclosing that first access opening and releasing the second accessopening increases the airflow from the first end chamber to the workchamber but does not allow the escape of contaminated air to theambient. So long as the air blower assembly continues to operate, allairflow from the work chamber will be to the second end chamber, withinwhich one or more filters may be provided to remove from the airflowsubstantially all contaminants, before the air is released to theambient atmosphere.

In a preferred form of this invention, the base sheet is generallyrectangular in shape, and the cover sheet defines opposed side walls,opposed end walls and a top wall of the work chamber. The lower edges ofthe side and end walls are releasably connected to the base sheet byfasteners which extend along the sides of the base sheet andtransversely thereacross at dispositions spaced from the ends of thebase sheet. For this embodiment, each further sheet may comprise opposedside walls, an end wall and a top wall, the side walls and top wallbeing attached to the cover sheet side walls and top wall respectively.Then, the lower edges of the side and end walls of the further sheet maybe releasably connected to the base sheet by further fasteners whichextend along the sides of the base sheet from the cover sheet to theadjacent end of the base sheet and along the end of the base sheet.

Preferably, the respective edges of the side and top walls of thefurther sheets are permanently connected to the side and top walls ofthe cover sheet. The releasable connections of the lower edges to thebase sheet preferably comprise zip fasteners the two components of whichextend respectively along the lower edges of the side and end walls, andalong the edges of the base sheet and transversely thereacross. In thisway, the three chambers of the workstation may be defined by a singlesheet comprising the cover sheet and two further sheets, which mayreadily be assembled to the base sheet following the location of awork-piece thereon, whereafter operation of the air blower assemblyinflates all three chambers thereafter permitting the performance ofwhatever operation is required on the work-piece.

The work chamber and also the end chambers may be provided by adifferent configuration of cover sheet and further sheets. In thisdifferent configuration, the cover sheet defines opposed side walls,opposed end walls and a top wall, the lower edges of the side and endwalls being releasably connected to the edges of the base sheet. Then,each further sheet may extend transversely between the opposed sidewalls of the cover sheet at locations spaced inwardly from the coversheet end walls, the lower edges of the further sheets being releasablyconnected to the base sheet, thereby to define the first and second endchambers. Thus, each further sheet may define just a single wall and sois essentially planar, when the workstation is inflated.

Preferably, the side and top edges of each further sheet are permanentlyconnected to the opposed side walls and top wall of the cover sheet. Aswith the preferred configuration, the fasteners may comprise zipfasteners the two components of which extend respectively along thelower edges of the side and end walls, and along the edges of the basesheet as well as transversely thereacross, for connection to the furthersheets. Conveniently, there are three zip fasteners, one associated withthe lower edges of the side and end walls of the cover sheet and theperimeter of the base sheet, and the other two zip fasteners beingassociated one with the lower edge of each further sheet respectively.Fasteners similar to zip-fasteners may be employed, which give aconnection along the length of the components to be connected, such ashook-and-loop strip fasteners.

For convenience, each access opening in the first end chamber is definedby a generally vertically-extending slit in a wall of the end chamber,the adjacent edges of the slit being releasably connected together forclosing of the opening. Preferably, a zip fastener is provided toconnect together those adjacent edges. In this way, access may easily begained to the work chamber, by releasing the zip fastener of the accessopening in an external wall of the first end chamber, entering the firstend chamber and then closing that opening. Then, the access opening inthe wall between the first end chamber and the work chamber may beopened by releasing its zip fastener, and after the work chamber hasbeen entered, that zip fastener may be closed once more to permit normaloperation of the workstation. During this, no contaminated air willescape to the ambient, since the pressure in the first end chamber ishigher than in the work chamber where contamination may be generated.

The passageway from the first end chamber to the work chamber maycomprise an aperture through the wall separating the first end chamberfrom the work chamber. A filter may be fitted to said aperture, toseparate particles from the airflow into the work chamber, so as toensure that the air entering the work chamber is clean and will notspoil an operation being performed therein, such as the spraying of avehicle panel.

As an alternative to the above, the passageway may comprise a ductleading from the first end chamber along the underside of the top wallof the cover sheet, which duct is provided with at least onedownwardly-directed outlet opening, into the work chamber. A filter maybe associated with the duct, to separate particles form the airflow intothe work chamber, as with the arrangement discussed above, and in thiscase the filter is preferably fitted to the inlet to or the outlet fromsaid duct.

With either passageway, means may be provided to control the flow of airfrom the first end chamber to the work chamber. In the firstarrangement, a flap may be secured partially across the aperture to varythe effective area thereof. With the arrangement using a duct, a flapmay be provided to adjust the effective area of at least one of theinlet to the duct, the cross-sectional area of the duct and theeffective area of the outlet openings from the duct. In either case,control of the airflow into the work chamber may be achieved.

The passageway from the work chamber to the second end chamber maycomprise a simple opening through the wall separating the work chamberfrom the second end chamber. A filter may be fitted to said opening, tofilter contaminants from the airflow into the work chamber. Also, thepassageway from the second end chamber to the exterior may comprise afurther opening through a side or end wall of the second end chamber andin this case, a filter may be fitted to said further opening, to filtercontaminants from the airflow into the work chamber.

For the preferred arrangement as just discussed above, one of saidfilters may comprise a particle filter, for separating from the airflowparticles such as of sprayed paint, and the other of said filters maycomprise an activated carbon filter for separating solvents from theairflow, such as are used with paints.

The air blower assembly conveniently comprises an electrically-drivenair blower mounted with the first end chamber and drawing air from theexterior. Preferably, an air conditioning unit is associated with theblower, in order to remove excess moisture from the airflow and to heator cool that airflow, as required.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of transportableinflatable workstation of this invention and intended for accommodatinga motor vehicle for the purpose of performing operations thereon such asthe repair of minor cosmetic damage will now be described in detail,reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a first embodiment ofworkstation, from one end thereof and with parts cut away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the first embodiment, but from the other endthereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view on the base sheet of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and2; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second embodiment ofworkstation from one end thereof, and again with parts cut away forclarity.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 3, it can be seen that the firstembodiment of workstation of this invention comprises a base sheet 10, acover sheet 11 and first and second further sheets 12 and 13, connectedtogether and to the base sheet 10 so as to provide a first end chamber14, a work chamber 15 and a second end chamber 16. The base sheet 10,cover sheet 11 and first and second further sheets 12,13 are all of aflexible plastics material and as shown in the drawings, transparentpanels may be provided in those sheets (but not the base sheet) for theconvenience of operators working within the work chamber.

The base sheet 10 is of generally rectangular shape, as best seen inFIG. 3, and is provided with one part 17 of a continuous elongate firstzip fastener around four sides A,B,C,D of a rectangular central area 18,the part 17 of the zip fastener including a tail 19 free of the basesheet 10. End area 21, defined between side B of the central area 18 andthe adjacent end of the base sheet has one part 22 of a second zipfastener extending around sides E,F,G of that end area 21, and again atail 23 of that part 22 is free of the base sheet. In a similar way, onepart 24 of a third zip fastener extends around sides H,I,J of end area25 disposed between side D of the central area and the adjacent end ofthe base sheet. That one part 24 also has a tail 26 free of the basesheet.

The cover sheet 11 has a pair of opposed side walls 28, a pair ofopposed end walls 29A and 29B and a top wall 30, each of generallyrectangular shape. The lower edges 31 of the pairs of side walls and endwalls have the other part 32 of the first zip fastener secured thereto,such that the first zip fastener when closed serves to secure theopposed pairs of side and end walls to the sides A,B,C,D of the basesheet 10.

The first further sheet 12 has an pair of opposed side walls 34, an endwall 35 and a top wall 36, with the edges of those walls adjacent thecover sheet 11 permanently secured thereto. The other part 37 of thesecond zip fastener is secured to the lower edges of the side walls 34and end wall 35, such that the second zip fastener when closed serves tosecure the side and end walls of the first further sheet 12 to the basesheet 10. In this way, the first end chamber 14 is formed, to one end ofthe work chamber 15.

In a similar way, the second further sheet 13 has a pair of opposed sidewalls 39, an end wall 40 and a top wall 41 and the lower edges of theside and end walls are provided with the upper part of the third zipfastener, whereby the second further sheet may be secured to the basesheet 10 and so define the second end chamber 16.

A first access opening is defined by a slit 42 is formed in end wall 35of the first further sheet 12, which slit is normally closed by a zipfastener but which when opened allows access to the interior of thefirst end chamber 14. In a similar way, the end wall 29A of the coversheet 11 adjacent the first end chamber also has a corresponding slit 44(FIG. 2) defining a second access opening, normally closed by a zipfastener but which when opened gives access from the first end chamber14 to the work chamber 15.

An aperture 47 is formed through the end wall 29A of the cover sheet 11,a particle filter 48 being fitted over that aperture so that air passingfrom the first end chamber 14 to the work chamber is filtered thereby.The opposed end wall 29B has a pair of openings 49 therein, each ofwhich is fitted with an extraction filter 50 in order to removeparticles from the airflow therethrough. The end wall 40 of the secondfurther sheet 13 has three openings 51 therein, each of which is fittedwith an activated carbon filter 52, in order to remove entrainedsolvents in the airflow through those filters.

Mounted within the first end chamber 14 is an electrically-driven airblower assembly 53, communicating with the exterior through a port 54fitted with a suitable filter. Included within the air blower assembly(but not shown) is an air conditioning unit, to adjust the temperatureand humidity of the airflow from the assembly 53, into the first endchamber 14.

Means to control the flow of air into the work chamber from the firstend chamber may comprise a flap 55 (FIG. 2) which can be securedpartially to cover particle filter 48, mounted in aperture 47 in the endwall 29A. Suitable means may be provided to secure the flap 55 coveringthe aperture 47 to the required extent so as to obtain a sufficientairflow.

In use, the cover sheet 11 and first and second further sheets 12,13 areremoved from the base sheet 10 by releasing the three zip fastenersextending around sides A to D, E to G and H to J. The vehicle is thendriven on to the central area 18 but perhaps displaced to one side orend thereof, depending upon the part of the vehicle on which operationsare to be performed. The cover sheet 11 is thrown over the vehicle andthe first zip fastener closed so as to secure the opposed side walls 28and opposed end walls 29A,29B to the base sheet 10 along sides A to D.The second and third zip fasteners are then closed, to secure the loweredges of the first and second further sheets 12,13 to the base sheet,respectively along sides E to G and H to J.

Once the zip fasteners have been fully closed, the air blower assembly53 is operated, to draw air through port 54 and into the first endchamber 14. From there, air flows through the filter 48 in aperture 47,to inflate the work chamber 15. As the pressure rises in the workchamber 15, air flows into the second end chamber 16 through theextraction filters in openings 51 and thus inflates that second endchamber as well. As the pressure rises in the second end chamber 16, airwill start to flow out of the second end chamber, through the activatedcarbon filters 52. There will thus be a pressure gradient within theworkstation, with the highest pressure in the first end chamber and thelowest pressure in the second end chamber.

Access is gained to the work chamber 15 through the access openings inthe first end chamber, opening those one at a time. In this way, openingof the zip fastener associated with the first slit 42 will allow air toescape to the ambient from the first end chamber 14 but that air willnot have been contaminated by any operations being performed with thework chamber 15.

Opening the zip fastener associated with the second slit 44,communicating with the work chamber, will merely increase the airflowinto the work chamber. There will be no escape of contaminated air asany air already contaminated within the work chamber cannot flow backinto the first end chamber, which has a higher internal pressure.

When operations are being performed within the work chamber 15, such asthe spraying of a vehicle panel, particles of spray will be entrained inthe airflow from the work chamber into the second end chamber but willbe trapped by the extraction filters 50 in the openings 49, as the airenters the second end chamber 16. Entrained solvents which may passthrough those filters will be trapped by the activated carbon filters 52in the openings 51, such that the air released to the ambient will beessentially clean.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 differs from that of FIGS. 2 and 3 in that adouble-skinned top wall 30 is provided for the cover sheet 11, the innerskin of which has a downwardly facing opening 57. The space between thetwo skins communicates with the first end chamber through an opening inthe end wall of the cover sheet and which is fitted with a particlefilter (not shown) whereby air may flow from that first end chamber intothe space between the skins and then downwardly into the work chamber,through opening 57. For this arrangement, the aperture 47 provided inend wall 29A in the first embodiment is omitted. Further, the outletfrom the work chamber 15 to the second end chamber 16 is through anopening 51 disposed relatively low down in the wall of that end chamber,to maximise the downward flow of the air into the work chamber.

In other respects, the embodiment of FIG. 4 corresponds to that of FIGS.1 to 3. Like parts are given like reference characters and will not bediscussed in detail again, here.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A transportable inflatable workstationcomprising a base sheet, a cover sheet adapted to be connected to thebase sheet and at least partially releasable therefrom, first and secondfurther sheets also adapted to be connected to the base sheet and atleast partially releasable therefrom, the base sheet and further sheetsdefining first and second end chambers disposed at opposed ends of thebase sheet and a work chamber between the end chambers, air blower meansarranged to drive air into the first end chamber, air passageways topermit air to flow from the first end chamber into the work chamber,from the work chamber into the second end chamber, and from the secondend chamber externally of the workstation thereby to inflate the workchamber and the two end chambers, the first end chamber being providedwith a first closable access opening from externally thereof and asecond closable access opening within a wall separating the first endchamber from the work chamber, and the air passageways associated withthe second end chamber comprising an opening within a wall separatingthe work chamber from the second end chamber being provided with afilter and an opening through a side or end wall of the second endchamber being provided with a filter to prevent pollutants leaving thesecond end chamber to the externally thereof, whereby air travels in onedirection from the first end chamber to the second end chamber andexternally of the workstation while in use.
 2. A workstation as claimedin claim 1, wherein the base sheet is generally rectangular in shape,and the cover sheet defines opposed side walls, opposed end walls and atop wall of the work chamber, and there are fasteners releasablyconnection the lower edges of the side and end walls to the base sheet,said fasteners extending along the sides of the base sheet andtransversely thereacross at dispositions spaced from the ends of thebase sheet.
 3. A workstation as claimed in claim 2, wherein each furthersheet comprises opposed side walls, an end wall and a top wall, the sidewalls and top wall being attached to the cover sheet side walls and topwall respectively, and the lower edges of the side and end walls of thefurther sheet being releasably connected to the base sheet by furtherfasteners which extend along the sides of the base sheet from the coversheet to the adjacent end of the base sheet and along the end of thebase sheet.
 4. A workstation as claimed in claim 3, wherein therespective edges of the side and top walls of the further sheets arepermanently connected to the side and top walls of the cover sheet.
 5. Aworkstation as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fasteners comprise zipfasteners having two components extending respectively along the loweredges of the side and end walls, and along the edges of the base sheetand transversely thereacross.
 6. A workstation as claimed in claim 5,wherein there are three zip fasteners, one zip fastener being associatedwith the lower edges of the side and end walls of the cover sheet, thesecond zip fastener being associated with the lower edges of the sideand end walls of the first further sheet, and the third zip fastenerbeing associated with the side and end walls of the second furthersheet.
 7. A workstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover sheetdefines opposed side walls, opposed end walls and a top wall, the loweredges of the side and end walls being releasably connected to the edgesof the base sheet.
 8. A workstation as claimed in claim 7, wherein eachfurther sheet extends transversely between the opposed side walls of thecover sheet at locations spaced inwardly from the cover sheet end wallsand the lower edges of the further sheets being releasably connected tothe base sheet, thereby to define the first and second end chambers. 9.A workstation as claimed in claim 8, wherein the side and top edges ofeach further sheet are permanently connected to the opposed side wallsand top wall of the cover sheet.
 10. A workstation as claimed in claim8, wherein there are zip fasteners having two components to releasablyconnect the further sheets to the base sheet, the two componentsextending respectively along the lower edges of the side and end walls,and along the edges of the base sheet and transversely thereacross. 11.A workstation as claimed in claim 10, wherein there are first, secondand third zip fasteners, the first zip fastener being associated withthe lower edges of the side and end walls of the cover sheet and theperimeter of the base sheet, the second zip fastener being associatedwith the lower edge of the first further sheet, and the third zipfastener being associated with the lower edge of the second furthersheet.
 12. A workstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein each accessopening in the first end chamber is defined by generallyvertically-extending slit, the adjacent edges of the slit beingreleasably connected together.
 13. A workstation as claimed in claim 12,wherein a zip fastener is employed to secure together the adjacent edgesof each access opening slit.
 14. A workstation as claimed in claim 1,wherein the passageway from the first end chamber to the work chambercomprises an aperture through the wall separating the first end chamberfrom the work chamber.
 15. A workstation as claimed in claim 14, whereina filter is fitted to said aperture, to separate particles from theairflow into the work chamber.
 16. A workstation as claimed in claim 1,wherein the effective area of the aperture is adjustable thereby topermit control of the airflow therethrough.
 17. A workstation as claimedin claim 1, wherein one of the air passageways comprises a duct leadingfrom the first end chamber along the underside of the top wall of thecover sheet and provided with downwardly-directed outlet openings.
 18. Aworkstation as claimed in claim 17, wherein a filter is associated withthe duct, to separate particles from the airflow into the work chamber.19. A workstation as claimed in claim 18, wherein said filter is fittedto an inlet to said duct.
 20. A workstation as claimed in claim 17,wherein means are provided to adjust an effective area of at least oneof an inlet to the duct, a cross-sectional area of the duct and aneffective area of outlet openings from the duct, thereby to permitcontrol of the airflow into the work chamber.
 21. A workstation asclaimed in claim 1, wherein one of said filters comprises a particlefilter and the other of said filters comprises an activated carbonfilter to separate solvents from the airflow.
 22. A workstation asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the air blower means comprises anelectrically-driven air blower mounted within the first end chamber anddrawing air from the exterior.
 23. A workstation as claimed in claim 1,wherein an air-conditioning unit is associated with said air blower. 24.A workstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base sheet, cover sheetand further sheets are all of a plastics material and at least some ofthe walls thereof are provided with transparent panels.